---
kind: "section"
citation: "25 U.S.C. § 3402"
title: "25"
title_heading: "Indians"
number: "3402"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/25/3402"
units:
  - "Chapter 36 — Indian Employment, Training and Related Services"
---

# §3402. Definitions


For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

- (1) **Federal agency—** The term “federal[^1] agency” has the same meaning given the term “agency” in [section 551(1) of title 5](/usc/5/551.md?p=1).
- (2) **Indian tribe—**
  - (A) **In general—** The terms “Indian tribe” and “tribe” have the meaning given the term “Indian tribe” in [section 5304 of this title](/usc/25/5304.md).
  - (B) **Inclusion—** The term “[Indian tribe](#2-A)” includes tribal organizations (as defined in [section 5304 of this title](/usc/25/5304.md)).
- (3) **Indian—** The term “Indian” shall have the meaning given such term in [section 5304(d) of this title](/usc/25/5304.md?p=d).
- (4) **Program—** The term “program” means a program described in [section 3404(a) of this title](/usc/25/3404.md?p=a).
- (5) **Secretary—** Except where otherwise provided, the term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be capitalized.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 102–477, § 3, Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2302; Pub. L. 106–568, title XI, § 1103(a), Dec. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 2931; Pub. L. 115–93, § 4, Dec. 18, 2017, 131 Stat. 2026.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2017—Par. (2). Pub. L. 115–93, § 4(1), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The terms ‘Indian tribe’ and ‘tribe’ shall have the meaning given the term ‘Indian tribe’ in section 5304(e) of this title.”

Pars. (4), (5). Pub. L. 115–93, § 4(2), (3), added par. (4) and redesignated former par. (4) as (5).

2000—Pub. L. 106–568 added par. (1) and redesignated former pars. (1) to (3) as (2) to (4), respectively.